METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING GRAIN

• US 20060004484A1
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Pointer, David, Hornbaker, Robert H., Kindratenko, Volodymyr
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and system of tracking transported grain. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag is provided for being deposited in a container with the grain. The tag is dimensioned to approximate a size of an individual grain, and comprises a memory and RF communication channel. The RFID tag further comprises data stored in the memory, the data including at least a time when the RFID tag was handled with surrounding grain, and information sufficient to determine a location of handling at the time the RFID tag was handled with the surrounding grain.

Claims

1. A method of tracking transported grain, the method comprising:

depositing a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a container with the grain, the tag having a size approximating a size of an individual grain and comprising a memory and an RF communication channel;

recording in the memory data including at least a time when the RFID tag was handled with the surrounding grain, and information sufficient to determine a location of handling at the time when the RFID tag was handled with the surrounding grain.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information sufficient to determine a location of handling comprises at least one of an absolute location and an identification of the container.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the time when the RFID tag was handled with surrounding grain comprises atomic time.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the recorded data from the RFID tag.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during a handling stage when the grain and the RFID tag is transported to a new container, recording additional data, the additional data comprising an additional time and information sufficient to determine a location of handling during the handling stage.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the RFID tag includes a unique identification stored in read-only memory.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the memory comprises a non-volatile read/write memory.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

storing the retrieved data in a database.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the database is a central database separate from a device used to perform said recording.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

analyzing the stored data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said analyzing comprises displaying at least one of the location for the container and for the new container.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said analyzing comprises displaying both the location for the container and the location for the new container.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said analyzing comprises displaying a timeline for the transported grain using the location for the container and the new container.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said analyzing comprises displaying a general travel path for the transported grain using the location for the container and the new container.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the data for the container and the new container each comprise a data set including an absolute location, a time, and a container identification, and wherein said analyzing comprises:

comparing at least one item in the data set for at least one of the container and the new container to another item in the data set for at least one of the container and the new container;

determining if an inconsistency is present between the compared data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of determining uses a timeline created using at least some of the data in the data sets.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of determining uses a travel path created using at least some of the data in the data sets.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of comparing comprises comparing at least one item in the data set for the container to another item in the data set for the container.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of comparing comprises comparing at least one item in the data set for the container to an item in the data set for the new container.

20. A tracking device for grain comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag dimensioned to have a size approximating surrounding grain, said tag comprising a memory and an RF communication channel;

data stored in said memory, said data comprising at least a time when said RFID was handled with surrounding grain and information sufficient to determine a location of handling at the time when said RFID tag was handled with surrounding grain.

21. The tracking device of claim 20 wherein the information sufficient to determine a location comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates.

22. The tracking device of claim 20 wherein said RFID tag is a passive electronic device.

23. The tracking device of claim 20 wherein the time comprises atomic time.

24. The tracking device of claim 20 wherein said RFID tag further comprises a unique identification code for said RFID tag.

25. The tracking device of claim 24 wherein the unique identification code is stored in a read-only memory of said RFID tag.

26. A system for tracking transported grain, the system comprising:

a writer for recording data into an RFID tag, the data including at least a time when the RFID tag was handled with surrounding grain and information sufficient to determine a location of handling at the time when the RFID tag was handled with surrounding grain; and

a reader for retrieving said recorded data from RFID tag.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag dimensioned to have a size approximating surrounding grain, said tag comprising a memory and an RF communication channel, wherein said writer records the data in the memory, and wherein said reader retrieves the recorded data from the memory.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein at least one of said reader and said writer communicates with said RFID tag by sending and receiving electromagnetic signals.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said RFID tag is a passive device, and wherein electromagnetic signals transmitted from at least one of said reader and said writer to said RFID tag provide power for said RFID tag.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein said reader and said writer comprise a single device.

31. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a database for analyzing the retrieved data.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said database comprises a stand-alone database within a microcomputer of said writer.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein said database comprises a personal computer, said personal computer comprising a display and visualization software for visualizing the retrieved data.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein said reader encodes a data set in the RFID tag for each of a plurality of stages in processing of grain.

35. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a dispenser for dispensing said RFID tags into the container.

36. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a remover for removing said RFID tags from surrounding grain.

37. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

an apparatus for encrypting the data to be recorded in the RFID tag before the data is recorded in the RFID tag.

50. The system of claim 31 wherein said database comprises a personal computer.

38. An apparatus for dispensing an RFID tag with a quantity of grain, the apparatus comprising:

a container including a plurality of RFID tags, said container including an opening;

a surface for selectively unblocking or blocking the opening to permit or block one or more RFID tags from exiting said container through the opening;

a device for selectively moving said surface.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said surface is selectively positioned to cover the opening, and wherein said apparatus further comprises;

a connection between said surface and said device for selectively moving said surface.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said connection comprises a rod, and wherein said device for operating said dispenser comprises a selectively operable apparatus for moving rod, thus moving said surface to selectively cover or uncover the opening.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the selectively operable apparatus comprises:

a solenoid;

a control for selectively applying a positive or negative current to said solenoid.

42. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising:

a guide for the RFID tag connected at one end to the opening, and having an opposing opening for dispensation of the RFID tag.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said opposing opening is directed toward a belt of a belt-based grain handling system.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said opposing opening is directed toward a container into which free-falling grain is directed.

45. A remover for retrieving an RFID tag from a quantity of grain, the apparatus comprising:

a container for holding the retrieved RFID tag;

a magnet for magnetically attracting the RFID tag;

a moving surface for moving the RFID tag towards the container, said moving surface being disposed between the magnet and the quantity of grain including the RFID tag;

said moving surface moving the RFID tag to a location wherein the RFID tag is sufficiently displaced from a force of said magnet and is permitted to freely fall into said container.

46. The remover of claim 45 wherein said moving surface comprises a belt operated by an electrical engine.

47. The remover of claim 46 wherein said belt is positioned facing a moving belt of a belt-based grain handling system.

48. The remover of claim 46 wherein said belt is positioned to face the quantity of grain as it freely falls with the RFID tag.

49. A method of tracking transported grain, comprising:

placing an RFID tag into a grain flow of the transported grain;

encoding the RFID tag with at least a time when the RFID tag was handled with the grain as part of the grain flow, and information sufficient to determine a location of handling at the time when the RFID tag was handled with the surrounding grain.